Irish Summer Tests

[big ginger 8]

Feic already kind of brought it up in the Englnad Ireland thread but I thought it deserved it's own thread.

So we have one match against the Barbarians in Kingsholm before heading off to New Zealand for three tests with still (I think) the possibility of some midweek matches. With that in mind I'd say we'd need somewhere around a 40 man squad.

So maybe post your squads here, discuss players or coaches that you like brought in/dropped and maybe our at this moment awful prospects.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Props: Ross, Healy, Hagan, McGrath, Archer, McAllister, Wilkinson (Might be leaving someone out in place of McGrath but I'm not too sure on the position)

Hooker: Best, Cronin, Strauss (Is he qualified, if not Sherry)

Second Row: O'Connell, Ryan, Tuohy, Toner, O'Callaghan (DO'C shouldn't start but he was good this 6n)

Blindside Flankers: Ferris, O'Brien, Ruddock

Openside Flankers: O'Mahony, Ryan

Number 8's: Heaslip, Coughlan

Scrum Halves: Conor Murray, Paul Marshall, Eoin Reddan

Out Halves: Johnny Sexton, Ronan O'Gara, Ian Madigan

Inside Centres: Fergus McFadden, Neven Spence (Not our best position atm)

Outside Centres: O'Driscoll, Cave, O'Malley

Wings: Bowe, Earls, Fitzgerald, Trimble, Kearney

Fullbacks: Kearney, Jones

40 Players:

20 Leinster
10 Munster
9 Ulster (Including Bowe)
1 Connacht

 

[monkeypigeon]

Against the Head should just have Gerry Thornley talking about whatever he wants for half an hour each week...he's really going at it tonight. Frankie and Donal Lenihan aren't too bad either.

 

[big ginger 8]

Props: Ross, Healy, Hagan, McGrath, Archer, McAllister, Wilkinson (Might be leaving someone out in place of McGrath but I'm not too sure on the position)

No if you've left anyone out it's instead of Archer terrible scrummager.

Against the Head should just have Gerry Thornley talking about whatever he wants for half an hour each week...he's really going at it tonight. Frankie and Donal Lenihan aren't too bad either.

Lenihan is rubbish. Did he suggest tonight that Ireland should just have a specialist tighthead on the bench and his suggestion Mr. Archer.

 

[monkeypigeon]

No if you've left anyone out it's instead of Archer terrible scrummager.



Lenihan is rubbish. Did he suggest tonight that Ireland should just have a specialist tighthead on the bench and his suggestion Mr. Archer.

I think that was Frankie. He just named any prop he could think of... coincidentally Stephen Archer is one of Frankie Sheehan's clients... http://frontrow.ie/page.asp?id=40 Hmmmm.

 

[big ginger 8]

I'd go

Props: Healy, Ross, Court, Hagan, McGrath, Wilkinson

Hookers: Best, Cronin, Sherry (I'm pretty sure Strauss isn't available until Novwember

Secondrows: O'Connell, Ryan, Tuohy, Toner

Backrows: Ferris, Heaslip, O'Brien, O'Mahony, Ryan, Henry, McLaughlin (can cover 6 and lock), Ruddock

Scrumhalves: Marshall, Reddan, Murray

Outhalves: Sexton, O'Gara, Madigan

Centers: O'Driscoll, McFadden, Griffen, Cave, McSharry(been impressed with him not many actual 12s)

Back three: Kearney, Fitzgerald, Bowe, Earls, Jones, Kearney, O'Hallorn, Gilroy

I think that was Frankie. He just named any prop he could think of... coincidentally Stephen Archer is one of Frankie Sheehan's clients... http://frontrow.ie/page.asp?id=40 Hmmmm.

Interesting. Harris-Wright's picture is hilarious.

Still think Lenihans terrible. Got a terrible Munster bias and loves Kidney. While Sheahan just loves his own voice. It's so funny how after any lineout goes askew he feels the need to say how it probably wasn't the hookers fault. Often enough it's true in fairness but he does it every time.

 

[Peat]

Pretty sure BG8 is right on Strauss.

 

[Melhor Time]

I wish teams would consider playing tier 2 nations to experiment sides rather than the Barbarians, those props are one injury away from getting mullered by Georgia's second choice front row, Tonga with Tonga'uiha could teach them a lesson as well

Its got to happen...

This past weekend Spain defeated Romania and Ukrine defeated Portugal for goodness sake!

 

[nickdnz]

Not sure this is what you want, but I'd like to post the squad I'd like to see New Zealand field for a match (it's early but still).

1. Wyatt Crockett
2. Andrew Hore
3. Owen Franks
4. Callum Retallick
5. Sam Whitelock
6. Victor Vito
7. Richie McCaw
8. Kieran Read
9. Piri Weepu
10. Daniel Carter
11. Hosea Gear
12. Sonny Bill Williams (Nonu needs a rest)
13. Conrad Smith
14. Sean Maitland
15. Israel Dagg

16. Kevin Mealamu
17. Ben Franks
18. Tom Donnelly
19. Liam Messam
20. Aaron Smith
21. Beuden Barrett
22. Cory Jane

It's be good to test how some of the younger players go. Some of the older guys like Ali Williams needs to be dropped, as he hasn't looked good enough for quite a while.

 

[welshglory]

That looks like a pretty damn good side nick.
Should Weepu be starting 9 though? he hasn't been on great form and hes really let his fitness go to the shitters. I reckon Kerr-Barlow should be selected in the squad, i've been really impressed by him.

 

[nickdnz]

That looks like a pretty damn good side nick.
Should Weepu be starting 9 though? he hasn't been on great form and hes really let his fitness go to the shitters. I reckon Kerr-Barlow should be selected in the squad, i've been really impressed by him.

Well, he's always useless at the start of the season. He's actually lighter than he was at the start of last season. Basically the only way Weepu gets good is game time, and then he's usually very good. People tend to be very hot and cold with Weepu, but I'd say when he's on form he's in the top three best halfbacks in the world. Kerr-Barlow is very good but out of the upcoming young halfbacks in Smith, Kerr-Barlow and Peranara I think he'd be the riskiest one to throw in there. He has a tendency to want to win the game by himself and I don't think his decision making is quite there yet. He's certainly got a lot of talent, I'd just like to see him start a bit more for the Chiefs before chucking him in the All Blacks.

 

[psychic duck]

Questions for Ireland fans:

1. how much would you experiment in the Barbarians match and midweek matches against Super Rugby teams?

2. is McFadden a goal kicker of international standard?

3. would you bother calling up 31+ year olds (such as Coughlan) to tour when they are unlikely to be part of the first choice starting lineup?

4. do you think Toner deserves to be in the Ireland matchday 22's he's really improved this season?

 

[big ginger 8]

1. how much would you experiment in the Barbarians match and midweek matches against Super Rugby teams?

2. is McFadden a goal kicker of international standard?

3. would you bother calling up 31+ year olds (such as Coughlan) to tour when they are unlikely to be part of the first choice starting lineup?

4. do you think Toner deserves to be in the Ireland matchday 22's he's really improved this season?

I'd experiment a good deal as I'd like a lot of young players involved and made fell useful. I wouldn't go crazy but presuming there's 3 midweek games and Barbarians I'd like everyone in the squad to have at least one full game under their belts.

McFadden does appear to be an international standard kicker I'm not sure what his success rate this year but I'd say it's over 80%. I'd obviously have Sexton and RO'G ahead but he's be my third choice.

I myself wouldn't bother calling those players up.

Toner could make the 22 but PO'C, Ryan and Tuohy are all playing really well and DO'C won't be dropped. If DO'C was actually dropped I'd expect him to compete for a bench spot with Tuohy.

 

[monkeypigeon]

1. how much would you experiment in the Barbarians match and midweek matches against Super Rugby teams?

2. is McFadden a goal kicker of international standard?

3. would you bother calling up 31+ year olds (such as Coughlan) to tour when they are unlikely to be part of the first choice starting lineup?

4. do you think Toner deserves to be in the Ireland matchday 22's he's really improved this season?

I don't like the idea of a midweek team. If you have an entirely second team out it usually ends up as a scrappy performance and you learn nothing. I think it's worth having four or five of the more experience guys who might be on their way out on the midweek team that way you get to see their potential replacements in a proper context during test matches.

McFadden is comfortably an international standard kicker.

I wouldn't bother with a guy like Coughlan except maybe if there's no younger option for the midweek type team.


Zebo scored a try again tonight and made a try saving tackle on Duffy.... I'd like to see himself or Gilroy get a start in the Summer. Or maybe Dave Kearney.

Toner in the Summer...only if O'Connell isn't there because Ryan and Touhy are better.

 

[Jockstap]

Pfff, we have these games in the bag. We had the best attack in the Six Nations, most tries/points scored and most line breaks and defenders beaten. Everyone knows SH teams are all offense, no defense.

 

[big ginger 8]

Pfff, we have these games in the bag. We had the best attack in the Six Nations, most tries/points scored and most line breaks and defenders beaten. Everyone knows SH teams are all offense, no defense.

Thats more like it.

 

[Feicarsinn]

1. how much would you experiment in the Barbarians match and midweek matches against Super Rugby teams?

2. is McFadden a goal kicker of international standard?

3. would you bother calling up 31+ year olds (such as Coughlan) to tour when they are unlikely to be part of the first choice starting lineup?

4. do you think Toner deserves to be in the Ireland matchday 22's he's really improved this season?

1. Hells to the yeah! We need to see what the likes of Darren Cave, Dan Tuohy, Chris Henry, etc. are like at this level. As good a chance as any considering there'll be no ranking points up for grabs.

2. Yes, easily. He's one of the top kickers in the Pro 12 and his kick against Scarlets a few weeks ago was top. A definite advantage should Sexto have an off day.

3. No. While I don't think wholesale changes must be made following a world cup, I do think that the changes that are made should be made with an eye toward 2015. Coughlan won't be there, but Rhys Ruddock could be.

4. A good question. At the moment my Irish locks would be O'Connell, Ryan and Tuohy, with Toner travelling in the squad. Should O'Connell get injured however, I'd bring Toner into the starting lineup. He's been immense for Leinster this season, but I see him more as POC's eventual replacement as opposed to a player who would function well with him. If that makes any sense.

 

[Peat]

I don't like the idea of a midweek team. If you have an entirely second team out it usually ends up as a scrappy performance and you learn nothing. I think it's worth having four or five of the more experience guys who might be on their way out on the midweek team that way you get to see their potential replacements in a proper context during test matches.

If I were Kidney, I'd do it about this way - bring in 2 or 3 new guys to the test team, then place 4 or 5 old soaks into the midweek team to bring some stability to proceedings - say, Court, O'Callaghan, Wallace x 2 and Fitzgerald, with maybe Boss/O'Leary and Cullen on the bench.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Madigan does goal kick, he's just a bit down the pecking order at Leinster. Sexton, McFadden & Nacewa are all in the top 10 in terms of accuracy in the Rabo, so he doesn't get much of a chance to kick from the tee. He nailed 5 penalties and a conversion against Aironi a few weeks ago.

 

[big ginger 8]

From the squad I picked here's my team for the Baa-baas

1. McGrath
2. Cronin
3. Hagan
4. Tuohy
5. Toner
6. Ruddock
7. Ryan
8. O'Brien
9. Marshall
10. Madigan
11. O'Hallorn
12. McFadden
13. Cave
14. Gilroy
15. Jones

16. Sherry
17. Wilkinson
18. McLaughlin
19. Henry
20. Murray
21. Fitzgerald
22. D. Kearney

Pretty Leinster biased I know.